Mancos marijuana ordinance to be discussed by board

On the agenda for the town board this week is to review the marijuana ordinance. Marshal Bill Knauer will address the board on the law enforcement aspect of having a marijuana retail establishment in Mancos and why the town would be violating the law by authorizing one here.

"Local cities and towns have the option to enact an ordinance to prohibit marijuana," Marshal Knauer said.

In his report to the board, Knauer said that the Town of Mancos "would be violating the law by aiding and abetting what would be criminal enterprises and acts under the Federal Criminal Code." He said that federal law pre-empts state law, and it would place employees of these places in "precarious positions of being federal law violators."

He is asking the trustees to consider the the legalities of the retail stores and cultivation sites, the revenue questions involved, and the quality of life issues.

The marshal and his deputies would be the ones to deal with the additional enforcement, citizen complaints, the increase in treatment and medical needs and any traffic issues.

"I wouldn't want to have a marijuana store next door to where there are kids living," said Marshal Knauer. "But I'm bound to uphold what the trustees decide."